The Washington critic., 1887-09-06
Topics OF THE DAY.

Topics OF THE DAY.
Says Macfarland in the Philadelphia
Record /! Oak View, like most other
places, looks best at night, In the day
time 1t looks new. 1t stands on top OF
little hill, and the trees around II are
few and yousg, so that 1t seems tribe
bare. But at night It seems clothed by
the clouds or the moonlight, and, small
as 1t is, looks impressive as you drive
in O long curve westward and then
eastward up graveed road leading up
from the always open gates to the little
porte cochere at the western end of
tine broad, dark porch. In the
warmer weather the President and
his family would be sitting In big red
rockers looking out across the oaks
on the opposite side of the road
which give the place its name. These
cool nights, however, the President
may be found In his little library Just
back Of the little parlor on the right of
the entrance, hard at work at a very
plain little desk lighted by big stu
dents lamp and covered with letters
anu phDtIb. uC lNHlhNht NNllo ms
large working glasses trimmed with
tortoise shell and goes methodically
through the papers before him. Mrs.
Cleveland and Mrs. Folsom will be sit.
ting in the little parlor, which is prac-
tically part of the same room, since the
sliding doors are open between. 1t is
a very simple and therefore a very
pleasing scene.
#"~
Says London correspondent OF the
Philadelphia Press. One meets con-
stantly In European. and more often In
London society Miss Mary Gusts Lee,
daughter Of General Robert L. Lee.
She is genuine favorite. Having
been literally all over the world, and,
In fact, in many places where no other
woman has yentured, she Is most
charming acquisition to any circle.
Miss Lee fairly worships the memory
of her father, and refers with pride to
her kinswoman, the wife of Washing
ton.
~.
The grim reaper has begun his wosk
upon the Fftieth Congress pretty early
in its history, says the Brooklyn lStrn-
ddrd. Union. The death of Congress.
man Robertson of Louisiana Is the first
in this Congress, but 1t will not be the
last. There have been but few in
which the number Of deaths has
dropped below half dozen. In the
last Congress there were twelve occa.
slons on which the flag of the House
and Senate was placed at half mast for
the death Of members of those bodies.
The Congress that was most frequently
visited by the death angel was the
Forty. fourth. 1t lost no less than
thirteen OF its members by death, and
yet its membership was not as large by
thirty three members as have been the
Forty eighth and Forty ninth, There
have been but two Congresses In the
entire fifty whose ranks have not
been thinned by the grim reaper.
The Second Congress did not
lose single one Of its %
members by death, nor the Fourth any
OF its 1877, although the First, which
had but 81, lost two-Senator William
Grayson and Congressman Theodore
Bland, both Of Virginia. In the Third
Congress there were three deaths
and Representatives Clark OF New
Jersey and GillOn of South Carolina
There have been 270 deaths in Congress
since the First Congress was elected
OF lhis number 90 have been Senators
Among these 21O who have died IL
harness have been Roger Sherman
William Pinckney, John Mclean oI
Illinois, Felix Grundy, Henry Clay
William Pitt Fessenden, Garret Davis
Charles Sumner, o. p Morton, Andrew
johnson, Nice-Fresident Wilson, A. A
Burnside, Ben. Hill, Zach. Chandler
Vice President Hendricks and General
Logan.
~
"Sunset" Cox will continue his Ill
crary work during the next Congress
says the Washington correspondent o.
the Brooklyn Times. lie is an enthu
siast when he gets pen in his hand
but he always carefully prepares hi
ground before taking his pen up. II
told me that he worked out and praC
tically composed the greater part o
his chief book, "Union, Disuniou
Reunion" in bed. lie awoke early
and as he lay in bed he mapped on
his work, going so far even us TO fran
many of his sentences before he arOst
The work with the pen was practical
the setting down Of what he had al
ready prepared lie writes in the earl
morning and at night, and he writ,
best when he gets a long double gov
on that reaches about to his feet, whlG
are oncased In un aged and very con
Portable pair OF slippers aud he likes
lig desk, and mover writes better tha
when his wife sits uear hiw rending,
~
"lfyou think this snot democrat
form OF government just take trip
Washington on Tuesdays and walk o,
In the White House grounds" sal
Editor Buckley Of the PhllGdelphi
Gyocory VorH. The toiling Ia.
payer las the pleasure on that day {
being separated by only strip of viii
not burbCd at that-feuCu from N
Presidential washing The snow
laundry of the Chief Executive Of u
laws that govern sixty five millions {